This invention relates generally to stand-alone or handheld games and particularly to those utilizing a display screen.
Game apparatus which provide a stand-alone or handheld capability are well known in the art. Such games are known for their capability of performing without additional apparatus such as a computer or television display. In such games, a housing supports a plurality of controls which provide user inputs to the game. In addition, a display screen often formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) provides a series of images or a moving or scrolling image. Such games have been provided in a virtually endless variety with many games replicating activities such as racing, skiing, motor boating and other vehicle or movement type games. The advent of low-cost powerful microprocessors has facilitated the inclusion of sufficient software within the game. to provide a display movement and image capability which approaches that of video games in its game play potential.
Not surprisingly, the extended popularity of handheld game type apparatus has prompted practitioner""s in the art to provide a virtually endless variety of such games having display capabilities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,102 issued to Mitsumoto sets forth a PROJECTED IMAGE DRIVE GAME DEVICE having a housing supporting a dashboard-like environment including a steering wheel, a gear shift and a plurality of different controls typical of a motor vehicle. The housing further supports side view mirrors and a display. In front of the display a small model vehicle is pivotally mounted. A transparent running sheet is moveably mounted above a screen supported in proximity to the model. A light source is mounted above the transparent running screen for projecting an image on the screen corresponding to a portion of a pattern such as a road or the like. An electric motor is operative to move the transparent screen in response to the amount of steering wheel manipulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,790 issued to Furukawa sets forth a TOY ARCADE TARGET GAME having a housing with a hollow drum mounted therein. A transparent indicia strip is mounted upon the drum. A spring is located in front of the drum and a light is positioned within the interior of the drum such that the light illuminates the indicia strip of the image of the strip upon the screen. The light is connected to a handle which is controlled by the operator whereby the image of the indicia is moved across the screen depending upon operator movement of the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,164 issued to Klawitter sets forth a TOY COMPUTER BUSY BOX ASSEMBLY having a housing resembling a computer. A plurality of hand manipulated actuating members within the normal keyboard location of a computer are connected to image producing members through systems of gears and levers. A screen section produces an image having the moveable screen members displayed thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,327 issued to Kitue set forth a GAME APPARATUS for use with a hand holdable video game device of the type having a video display screen. One or more control buttons and at least one multi-position operating game control for playing the game are provided. The game apparatus also includes a magnifying lens overlying the display screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,309 issued to Morris et al. sets forth a GAME APPARATUS UTILIZING A DISPLAY SCREEN for simulating the game of table tennis. The display screen is arranged such that a game may be simulated thereon in which two players appear to hit a ball back and forth on the screen. The game includes a serve button for initiating a serve at the beginning of the game. The players continue to "Rectversolid"volley"Rectversolid" the simulated ball back and forth by timely actuation of two volleying buttons until a miss is detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,936 issued to Kakizaki sets forth a GAME APPARATUS having a housing upon which a play surface supports a scrolling endless belt upon which a roadway or pathway is depicted. The housing further supports a model toy vehicle which is operatively coupled to a steering wheel control. As the endless belt moves the pathway beneath the vehicle, the user moves the toy vehicle laterally attempting to follow the pathway by skillful manipulation of the steering wheel.
U.S. Pat. Des. No. 355,446 issued to Sahler and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 399,886 issued to Brase et al. set forth designs for handheld games supporting an image screen.
In related arts, a number of control devices for use in electronic games have also been provided. For example, U.S. Pat. Des No. 316,879 issued to Shulman et al. sets forth a design for a joystick to be used in electronic games.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,092 issued to Yokoi et al. sets forth a MANIPULATOR FOR GAME MACHINE having a housing supporting left and right handles each having grips formed thereon. Direction instructing switches are provided for instructing movement direction of characters. The switches are disposed in the thumb position areas of the hand grips.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,429 issued to Nagel set forth a HAND-HELD VIDEO GAME IMAGE-PROJECTING AND CONTROL APPARATUS for operatively receiving an interactive electronic video game module. A housing formed of a central body and a pair of side mounted, outwardly extending arms are grasped by a user. Illuminating elements within the housing project images from a substantially transparent screen of the video game module on to a remote viewing and display surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,777 issued to Hirose et al. sets forth a SIMULATOR TOY having a projection light source and plate supporting projectable images thereon. When the plate is rotated, the image simulates a moving street. A projectable car is moveable under the rotation plate by moving a knob. The player uses the turning knob to manipulate the car around the projected objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,313 issued to Kuster et al. sets forth a CONTROL YOKE APPARATUS FOR COMPUTERIZED AIRCRAFT SIMULATION having a housing supporting an aircraft type steering wheel control which is operatively coupled to a video display unit.
U.S. Pat. Des. No. 261,787 issued to Breneman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,931 issued to Gulley, Jr. each set forth toy vehicles having caterpillar-like treads similar to a tractor or bulldozer.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art, and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved, interesting and entertaining stand-alone or handheld electronic game apparatus.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic game apparatus. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic game apparatus suitable for playing a bulldozer game. It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved electronic bulldozer game apparatus having a moveable toy bulldozer model and scrolling travel image both of which are manipulated by the user in a driving style activity.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided an electronic game comprising: a housing having a pair of handles and a pivotable turntable and a model toy vehicle supported thereon; a pair of control levers supported by the handles, each control lever having a handle rod extending into the housing; a display supported by the housing having means for displaying a plurality of moveable images thereon including a toy vehicle image; a pair of switches activated by the pair of control levers; a control circuit coupled to the display and the pair of switches operative to scroll images on the display rearwardly relative to the model toy vehicle image when both of the control levers are simultaneously squeezed and to scroll images on the display to one side relative to the model toy vehicle image; and pivot means, coupled to the turntable and to the handle rods, for pivoting the turntable toward the left or right in response to squeezing of one or the other of the control levers while not pivoting the turntable when both of the control levers are squeezed.